Amazon: Alter do Chão

Alter-do-Chão

At last I've arrived in the Amazon. A destination that is the whole trip I dream of, indeed to tell the truth my whole life. And here I am, with only the dilemma of how to make the most of this opportunity in a vast forest region. Thanks to the project "The Path of Music" I have entered the forest several times to visit the many indigenous communities that are, alas, increasingly threatened by "modern civilisation". But one day I forgot music and indigenous peoples and took two days to visit one of the most enchanting places I've ever seen in my life: Alter-do-Chão, located 30 Km from Santarem (an important city of the Brazilian state of Pará, halfway between Manaus and Belem on the Amazon River).

The little town boasts the name Caribbean Amazon, and I can assure you there's no trace of exaggeration. An inlet of the Tapajós river forms an enchanting lake of green water (Lago Verde) with Amazonian trees and vegetation emerging from the water, and incredible beaches of the finest white sand that between June and January surface in the middle of the lake and can be reached for 2 Reales in little rowing boats. The islets are equipped with shacks that offer excellent fish for 10 Reales (less than 5 euros). At night, by asking a night-owl boatman for a lift, you can sleep in a hammock on the deserted islets lit only by the light of the moon. An unforgettable experience, sleeping lulled by the sound of the microwaves (not in the electronic sense of the word, but referring to their size) of the lake.

Then during the day you can choose between short boat trips (don't pay more than 25 reales) to discover the Igarapé, the flooded forest and the lake where you see the famous pink dolphins (without needing to take any drugs) and a thousand other options. Or, turning to an agency, you can opt for a trip of a few days into the heart of the Amazon Rainforest. Careful, because the same routes offered by the agencies are offered by the many posadas at decidedly cheaper prices (even 70 per 100 less). The cheapest thing I recommend: the walk to the top of the only little hill you can see on the horizon of Alter-do-Chão. A comfortable one-hour walk that allows a breathtaking view over the most famous forest in the world. till next time